Adjustable invalid couch



H. J. MULLER ADJUSTABLE-INVALID COUCH Jan. 27, 1931.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

Filed May 16. 1928 Will/er Jan. 27, 1931.

J. MULLER ADJUSTABLE INVALID COUCH File May 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented'Je-m. 27, 1931 V unrest-a HEINRICH JULI Is M'L'ILLER, or SCHAFFHAUSEN, SWITZERLAND ADJUSTABLE INVALID COUCH Application filed May 16, 1928, Serial No. 278,100,.and in Germany May 27, 1927.

The present invention relates to adjustable invalid couches and the like of the kind in which a positioning bar with a slot toothed along one side is pivoted on each side of the adjustable foot part, and supporting pins for the positioning bars are provided on the framework of thebed.

The object of the invention is to simplify the manipulation oftheadjustable part of the invalids bed. V

This purpose is attained accordingto the invention by the adjusting bars being disengageable from the supporting pins secured to the framework of the bed, against the pull of a spring, by means of a member arranged in the neighbourhood of the usual handle provided on the foot part and capable of being actuated by the hand gripping the handle, the said memberbeing connected to the toothed positioning bars by a lever and rodmechanism. 7

The adjustable invalids bed according to the invention is suitable both for private bedrooms as well as for hospitals, as the parts I projecting downwards over the frame are not visible to the ordinary observer; it also works with absolute reliability andis noise-- less when correctiy actuated. V The accompanying drawings show two constructional examples of the invention Figures 1 and 2 show a first example of the adjusting appliance, with the reclining surface stretched out, i Figure gin partial end elevation,

Figures 1, 5 and v(i'with the head part raisechand, accordingly with the foot part shifted upwards into low, horizontal, and

uppermost positions respectively;

Flgures 7 and 8 are views of a second example corresponding to Figures 2 and 3.

In these drawings 1 denotes the lower carrying frame of the composite under-mattress, which is placed upon a; bedstead. 13 denotes the head part, whichiis rotatable, about pivots 12', and 17 denotes the seat part, which is rotatable about pivots Hand which is pivotally connected with the head part 13 by means of intermediate members 15 and 16 guided by a link rod 18, and 3 denotes the foot part pivoted to the said seat part. On each sidepiece of the foot part 3 there is an angle shape'd positioning bar 5, with guiding slot 6, and with locking teeth 7 'arranged on one longitudinal edge of the said slot. The two positioning "bars 5 are con nected with one another by a transverse rod; 50. To each side part of the carrying frame 1 is secured a small bearing block 8,w'ith supporting pins 9 engaging in the slot 6,

In the cross piece 10 of the foot member 3 is slidably supported quite close to the usual handle 11 a peg 23 provided with a pressing knob 22, the lower end of the said peg being pivoted to one arm of a bell-crank lever 24 mounted on the cross piece 10. The other arm of this'lever is connected'b'y a link rod 25 With'the transverse rod 50, *A spring 26 tends topull the rod 25, together with "the positioning bars 5, towards the left, to engage the locking teeth-7 with the peg 9, and to raise the pressing peg 23. Y

The adjusting apparatus described: operates in the following manner j v In Figure 1 the reclining surface is ar ranged in, an ordinary recumbent position,

If it is brought into a sitting position according to Figure 4, the foot member 3, which oscillatably supported by" means er; the toothed positioning bars 5 upon the supporting pivots 9, descends of itself; j

If it is desired when in a sitting position tohave the feet supported at a higher level,

as shown in'Figure 5,011 at the highest possi-' ble level, as shown in Figure 6, the foot memher is raised by the handle 11, the teeth of the locking bars 5 snapping over the support In the desiredposition of the foot springs 26, are drawn towards the supporting pins 9, and the foot part 3 is locked.

If conversely it is desired to bring the raised feet into a lower position, pressure is exerted with the thumb, while the foot memher 3 is somewhat raised with the other fingers on the handle 11, upon the pressing knob 22 of the pin 23, whereby the locking bars 5 are lifted by means of the bell-crank lever 24, the rod and the cross bar 50, out of the teeth 7, so that the supporting pins can traverse the slots 6 in the locking bars 5, and a free upward or downward movement of the foot member 3 is rendered possible, as illustrated in Figure 5.

By pressing upon the pressing knob and the pins 22 and 23, the clicking noise of the teeth 7 can be prevented when the foot memher 3 is being raised.

It is obvious that with the construction of the adjusting apparatus described, a high or a low positioning of the foot member is possible with any position of the head member, and a locking thereof in the adjusted position is also possible with one hand, without the foot member first having to be brought into its highest position for the lowering. The supporting pin 9 serves not only as an elevation supporting point but also as a pivot during the horizontal displacement of the foot member. By this means the manipulation is considerably simplified, and can be carried out in a shorter time.

In the case of the constructional example according to Figures 7 and 8, the handle 11 has in cross section the shape of an inverted U, and in this handle is displaceably arranged a gripping piece 27 carrying the pin 23. The lower end of the pin 23, as in the case of the first example, is connected with the bell-crank lever 24, which however is here turned through 180 as compared with Figure 1.

Upon taking hold of the handle 11 with the hand, the gripping piece 27 is also seized, and is pushed deeper into the handle 11, whereby the rod 25 is shiftedtowards the right, and the positioning bar 5 is disengaged. Upon the handle 11 being released a spring 26 pulls the gripping piece 27 down again and pulls the locking bar into engagement with the supporting pin 9. In the case of this example all the fingers can be employed for raising or lowering the foot member, whereby the security of grip is enhanced.

hat I claim is In an adjustable invalid couch and the like, comprising a supporting frame, a rest arranged above the frame, a positioning bar on each side of the rest and having a slot toothed along one side, supporting pins on the frame and with which the positioning bars are normally engaged at their toothed and slotted portions, a handle on the rest, a vertically movable and pressable peg adjacent to the handle, a bell-crank lever pivoted to HEINRICH JULIUS MULLER. 

